The Challenge of CompletionPresentation to the Academic Assembly

Suffolk County Community CollegeMichael J. Grant CampusOctober 1, 2013 Phi Theta Kappa faculty advisors:

Karen DovellChair, English and Humanities

Lisa HamiltonDirector of Campus Activities

Tat Sang SoHonors Coordinator

Today’s Presentation1. New York Community College Completion Week: September 30 to October 4, 2013

2. Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Delta Gamma chapter: Refocusing our Mission

3. Completion as an Ongoing Effort at the Michael J. Grant Campus

4. The Challenge of Community College Completion

This WeekNew York Community College Completion WeekEvents at Michael J. Grant Campus

• Student volunteers with clipboards around campus

• Ask instructors to use 5 minutes of class time during signing week to: • Explain the importance of college completion: Graduates with 2 year degrees

have lifetime earnings of $300,000 to $500,000 more than high school graduates.

• Distribute and collect pledge cards• Distribute Completion bracelets• Tell personal stories about obstacles to getting a degree, and how they were

overcome• Encourage students to avail themselves of academic and student services• Pick up a packet for your class at your academic support office or Campus

Activities in Captree 110

• Common hour October 2:• Pledge signing rally at Captree Commons• Student speakers and actors encouraging students to use support services

New York Community College Completion WeekMichael J. Grant Campus

T-SHIRTS

(except ours will be green)

New York Community College Completion WeekMichael J. Grant Campus

BRACELETS (also green)

Last Year…at Michael J. Grant Campus

We collected over 2,000 pledges.

This Yearat Michael J. Grant Campus

We will concentrate on:

• urging students to take advantage of academic support and student services.

• asking faculty and staff to pledge to help our students in their mission to complete.

• breaking last year’s records.• helping students follow through on their pledges.

Phi Theta KappaAlpha Delta Gamma ChapterRefocusing our Mission

• The purpose of Phi Theta Kappa is to recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year college students.

• The Alpha Delta Gamma chapter exists to recognize and celebrate high-achieving students at the Michael J. Grant Campus.

• We will use the goal of College Completion to focus our mission of promoting individual growth and development among our members.

• We will use the platform of PTK and C4 (Community College Completion Corps) to create a support structure for all students on campus directed at College Completion.

Completion as an Ongoing EffortA Multi-year Cycle at Michael J. Grant Campus

Themes:

1. Define the challenge of Completion (Fall 2012)

2. Raise awareness of academic and student services (Fall 2013)

3. Review research and new ideas (Fall 2014)

4. Assess and celebrate (Fall 2015)

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of CompletionStarting a Difficult Conversation

• Community college students in career-focused academic programs have higher completion rates.1

• Two possibilities may be that having a clear goal, and having the support of a tight-knit department (faculty and students) promote success.

• Many students begin community college without a clear goal.

• Large institutions (perhaps with less personal support systems) have lower completion rates.2

• C4 and Completion Week are efforts to establish a clear goal for individual students, and to develop personal support systems.

1 Nitecki, Elena M. “The Power of the Program: How the Academic Program can Improve Community College Success.” Community College Review 39.2 (2011): 98-120. EBSCOHost. 12 Sep 2012. Web.2 Bailey, Thomas, et al. “Is Student-Right-To-Know All You Should Know? An Analysis of Community College Graduation Rates” Research in Higher Education 47.5 (2006): 491-519. EBSCOHost. 10 Sep 2012. Web.

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of CompletionStarting a Difficult Conversation

• In 2011, the 3 year graduation rate for Suffolk County Community College was

19.4%

• The 2 year graduation rate was4.2% (n = 4,305)

New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems http://www.highered.nysed.gov/oris/

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of CompletionStarting a Difficult Conversation

• Is that good or bad? It is a mixed picture:

New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems http://www.highered.nysed.gov/oris/

YEAR 2 year grad rate 3 year grad rate

2004 8.1% 23.7%

2006 6.2% 18.8%

2009 5.6% 16.1%

2011 4.2% 19.4%

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of CompletionStarting a Difficult Conversation

• Completion rates are hurting at 2 year institutions throughout the SUNY system:

NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE

New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems http://www.highered.nysed.gov/oris/

YEAR 2 year grad rate 3 year grad rate

2004 9.1% 24.5%

2006 7.1% 20.9%

2009 5.6% 17.6%

2011 3.7% 14.4%

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of CompletionStarting a Difficult Conversation

FINGER LAKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE

New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems http://www.highered.nysed.gov/oris/

YEAR 2 year grad rate 3 year grad rate

2004 21.4% 35.4%

2006 16.6% 32.8%

2009 16.3% 31.2%

2011 15.5% 29.0%

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of CompletionStarting a Difficult Conversation

SULLIVAN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems http://www.highered.nysed.gov/oris/

YEAR 2 year grad rate 3 year grad rate

2004 8.1% 21.0%

2006 9.3% 16.8%

2009 7.9% 14.8%

2011 10.4% 18.3%

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of CompletionStarting a Difficult Conversation

SUNY AT STONY BROOK

New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems http://www.highered.nysed.gov/oris/

YEAR 4 year grad rate 6 year grad rate

2000 30.4% 51.4%

2006 37.5% 57.6%

2011 44.3% 66.1%

• On the contrary, graduation rates are increasing at 4 year institutions:

SUNY COLLEGE AT OLD WESTBURY

YEAR 4 year grad rate 6 year grad rate

2000 8.5% 22.8%

2006 14.3% 32.3%

2011 19.1% 34.5%

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of CompletionStarting a Difficult Conversation

There are many factors that may lower the graduation rate at community colleges:

• Not all students intend to finish an associates degree. They may be in a job training or certificate program, or may be simply dipping their toes in the waters of college.

• Many students transfer to 4 year institutions before earning an associates degree.

• More than half of the students require remediation in at least one subject area (62% at SCCC).1

• Community colleges suffer from low funding. High spending in academic programs is correlated with high graduation rates.2

• Community college students often have pressures on their finances, work, and families that the typical 4 year college student does not face.

1Bailey, Thomas, et al. “Referral, Enrollment, and Completion in Developmental Education Sequences in Community Colleges.” Economics of Education Review 29 (2010): 255-270. EBSCOHost. 10 Sep 2012. Web.2 Nitecki, Elena M. “The Power of the Program: How the Academic Program can Improve Community College Success.” Community College Review 39.2 (2011): 98-120. EBSCOHost. 12 Sep 2012. Web.

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of CompletionStarting a Difficult Conversation

But the stakes are high:

• Almost half of all college students in the U.S. are enrolled in community colleges.

• Increasingly, students from high income families attend private, prestigious 4 year institutions charging high tuition, and students from low income families attend community colleges.

• Higher education is the key to economic opportunity.

• Higher education is also the key to intellectual opportunity.

ConclusionNo simple solutions

• There are systemic reasons why the graduation rate is low at community colleges.

• We are still looking for a good explanation why the graduation rate is decreasing at 2 year institutions and increasing at 4 year institutions.

• Research is ongoing. The perfect, however, should not be the enemy of the good.